Thursday, 10 October 2013

Up To Date Technology

I'm a real technophobe, so I've always avoided having any technology around me that I don't need. My mobile phone has been a basic model, allowing me to make calls and send the occasional text. It had a camera too, though I never used it.

I've started making more calls just lately, so I thought a contract may be the way to go rather than pay as you go, which I've always had.

I only wanted a cheap contract, even though I'm making more calls, they're not excessive, but when looking at the contracts on offer, I saw that I could also update my phone for free. After what I've just said about being a technophobe and having had the most basic model in the past, I really don't know what possessed me to go with this model.

It's all singing all dancing, and I haven't a clue how to work it. The problem is, I'm frightened of it. Everyone's telling me to mess around with it and I'll soon get used to it, but I'm scared of doing something I shouldn't. I'm seriously considering putting the sim back in to my old phone.

Am I the only one who can't keep up with the times where technology's concerned?

34 comments:

I know a few people in the same position, you're certainly not alone. What seems to work when faced with an overwhelming bit of technology is just doing things one little step at a time. Find some instructions (or a friendly person) that can explain the bits you want to use - calls, texts, contact list. Then after a few weeks of using just those start to explore a bit at a time.

That's a good piece of advice. It just seems so overwhelming when faced with anything new like this, though I have to say that Eleanor is being quite patient with me and trying to show me a few things.

I've a pay as you go basic mobile with no camera and buttons not touch screen and that suits me because of my eyesight problems. I would love to upgrade, but wouldn't know where to start. Like everything technical I'm sure it's a case of experimenting so I hope you soon get used to your 'all singing all dancing facilities on you new mobile. All the best!

My mobile is at least 9 if not 10 or more years older. It makes phone calls and texts. That is it. No camera. No internet. No anything else. I am a technophobe to a certain degree, but I am a luddite and I hate changing things unless I have to. You could never call me an early adopter!

I expect that those who have told you to mess about with the new phone are probably right, I would not imagine that you could do anything to break it. The worst you could do is take a stunned photo of yourself by mistake or make the odd random phone call you had not intended!

I'm a bit of a nervous wreck with it, I press something, it does something I didn't want it to do and I jump out of my skin. Eleanor thinks it's hilarious. I remember when video recorders came out, I was the one in the family who could work it, my mum and dad didn't have a clue. How the tables have turned.

I've never bothered to keep up with technology! My mobile is positively ancient, has no camera and I've never sent a text. My clunky PC is at least third-hand and runs Microsoft XP. My digital point and shoot camera is at least ten years old. I agree that the best way to get used to your new 'toy' is to play around with it. Have fun! Flighty xx

My desktop computer which runs XP has just given up the ghost, I've had it so long, though I do have a laptop too. I think I'll have to be brave and start playing around with the phone, if it bamboozles me too much it will have to go back in the box.

I so understand, sometimes I worry I'm being a bit left behind. I text and make calls on my very basic pay and go phone, I blog, email and look up sites on the web, but that's it and when hubby tries patiently to explain things I just can't follow it. I'd love to know more about photography etc but struggle... :) xx

I know exactly what you mean. A computer to me is for exactly the same as you, blogging, emailing and looking things up on the web, anything else and I'm lost. We've just had our old Sky box replaced with a HD box (we're not subscribing to HD) and even that's taking some getting used to because the functions are now different. Surely it can't be that hard to use a phone, they seem to be permanently fixed to everyone's hands these days.

I got a new mobile earlier this year. I just took it slowly, found a comprehensive instruction booklet online ( they never seem to come with one these days), and went from there. My problem is that I find a touch screen very difficult to use; the best I could find was a touch and type phone that has a touch screen but still has a keypad for texting on. I'm on a Tesco contract for £7.50 a month and I find it much more cost effective for keeping in touch with my Mum and the girls.

You've just mentioned my pet peeve, missing instruction booklets. They're never supplied these days. I've got a £7.50 Tesco contract too, I'm sure it will work out much cheaper than pay as you go, and because both Daniel and Eleanor are with Tesco too, we get Family Perks, extras added to our bundles.

Years ago, I had an old Nokia phone which I was really happy with. I could phone someone if I needed to - never did! I could text someone if I needed to - rarely did. I could even get a text if someone sent me one - very rare event. Now I have the handed-down version of the second iPhone - hubby has version 4, daughter has 3, other daughter has 3, I get the 2. (See how that goes?) Anyway, this phone could apparently get me to the moon and back but, as I say to my husband, "I have no desire to go to the moon!". Ahhh the joys of "progress"! :oD

Good luck with your new phone, Jo. Can I just say - be sure to not have it on roaming when you're out or you'll get charged for it. That was £13 I never got back! Grrrrrr!!

That sounds about right, mums usually get the hand me downs and the lesser versions. Now I'm worried, I haven't a clue what roaming is, I shall have to have a word with Eleanor, she seems to know all about phones. I keep telling her that if we wanted to speak to someone at her age (15), we had to go and knock on the door. I've put a cap on my phone, I can't use anything more than £2.50 above my usual monthly fee, so I'm hoping that I won't be able to roam, whatever it is.

I'm of the pay-as-you-go school myself and I keep thinking maybe I need to get with the program already and buy a phone like this with a contract but I feel hesitant. I don't like to talk on the phone to begin with and I don't want the expense every month. I'm hoping I can wait a few more years until my kids are more independent and needing to be able to reach me when they're out and about without me. I hope your phone isn't too complicated; maybe one of your kids can teach you. :)

I've always had pay as you go, but now that Daniel's away from home and I can only reach him on his mobile, it makes sense to have a contract as it would be more expensive on pay as you go. Eleanor's been helping me with the phone, she's very patient though does make fun of me when I make myself jump.

Have you got wifi at home? Connect the phone to the wifi and play around with it. Sometimes using things like bloglovin or amazon on the phone let you get used to the keys and text entry so when you need to phone or text someone you just do it. And play with it. There's very little you can get wrong, and if you do that's what factory settings is for. I love a good bit of tech. Go forth and own the phone! !

The phone's connected to wifi and I'm trying to be brave and play with it, but it's very scary for a technophobe like me. I did manage to look at my listings on Ebay last night, so there's improvement.

No Jo, you are not alone in this hi tech world. I got my first mobile phone last year in April and it is the most basic model you can get. I sent my first text to my daughter only last week and it contained 3 words. Getting my blog up and running took me 8 months, so a lot of us have the same problems, but we get there in the end. Keep plodding along and take care.

My problem is that I'm really not that interested to learn technical things unless I need to. I've got Daniel and Eleanor to do things for me, but I really need to start watching and learning as I've just realised that they won't always be here.

Yes, I am not great with new technology either. I always make sure John has the same phone as me so that he knows how to work it - that way I can ask him when I am stuck! I can imagine teenage children are also very knowledgeable about such things. Enjoy it though, smart phones are a lot of fun. x

Daniel's got a similar phone to me, so I'm looking forward to him coming home from uni so that he can give me some pointers. Eleanor's really good though, she's been helping me loads. I'm sure I'll be fine with it once I get used to it.

I was fine with my old basic phone but my hubby went and got me a new one, its ok I am getting to grips with it but as far as the fancy stuff on it I don't bother with it. I know some people that could not survive without their phones. I see people reading shopping lists off of theirs and I am still with the paper list! Maybe I will get there one day.

I love to keep up when I can afford to ... I got an unbeatable deal on an iPhone 5 via my husband's employer, with unlimited web time, calls and texts, and I don't know how I lived it without. I'm still only using half it's functions but I'll get there. As others have said Jo just take one little step at a time and you'll soon figure it all out x

It can get expensive keeping up with everything which comes out, it doesn't seem two minutes these days until something which has just been launched is upgraded and out of date. The unlimited packages are great for people who use their phones a lot, I wouldn't get the use out of them though. I'm sure i will figure it all out eventually, though it may take some time.

I agree with your previous advice Jo, just get in there and start messing about with it! You'll work it out and there isn't too much you can do to mess it up, and if you do phones can be reset back to the original set up. I just bought the Samsung Galaxy and even though I have had smart phones before this one has me stumped a bit, there is so much to it, it does everything but the dishes! lol... Once you figure out your phone you will love it!Much love,Tammy

I'm getting a little bit better with it now, but it still scares me. I'm ok making a call on it, and I've sent a text, though the touch screen is a bit hard to get used to. I'm sure I'll get there in the end. Good luck with your new Galaxy.

Jo, from one Luddite to another! I was quite happy with my old phone which made phone calls (isn't that what's it meant to do) but it too eventually died and I ended up with an "entry level" Samsung smart-thing. Like you I didn't want it but now I've got used to it ...

It helps not to think of it as a phone but as a hand-held computer which does lots of things including making the occasional call. Texting (which I really don't like) is much easier with the touch screen keyboard and I'd now hate to be without the BBC weather app, and you'll find other stuff too.

It is like a computer, I'm loving the fact that I can check my emails on it, so I suppose I'm slowly coming round to it now. I'm not keen on the touch screen keyboard, I don't have dainty fingers and I end up pressing the wrong letters all the time, but I suppose it's just something else I'll have to get used to. I'm glad to hear that it isn't just me who doesn't like change, but there's definitely hope for me.

When Martyn took my phone to try and get me a new case - the assistant just laughed at it. I'm into technology but I just need my phone to ring people up if I can't use the house phone, or let the few people who have the number contact me if they need me or send the occasional text. Martyn has a fancy mobile and it is far more temperamental than mine.

That's usually the case, there's more to go wrong on more fancy models. I have to say, I like being able to check my emails on the phone, that's a plus point, but I'm still getting used to all the other things.

About Me

Thank you for visiting. I'm Jo, forty nine and happily married with two grown up children and a dog called Archie. Take a peek Through The Keyhole into my home on the outskirts of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Here you'll see a little of what I get up to on my crafty adventures as well as snippets of family life. I hope you enjoy reading along.